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Combat Aircraft reports from the biennial ‘Hawgsmoke’ A-10 25th FS ‘Assam Draggins’, moving the entire exercise to the Republic of Korea weapons competition, held this year in Missouri. was logistically prohibitive. Therefore, ‘Hawgsmoke 2018’ was hosted by the REPORT AND PHOTOS Norman Graf 303rd FS ‘KC Hawgs’, which nished third in 2016. S AIR FORCE A-10C but limited it to the Thunderbolt II — This year’s event took place from Thunderbolt II squadrons the result was ‘Hawgsmoke’. October 17-20 at Whiteman AFB, gather every two years for With the exception of 2004, the event Missouri, with the weaponry events several days to share in the has taken place every two years since, own at the nearby Cannon Range. Ucamaraderie and fellowship this year’s being the ninth edition. ‘The pilots, the maintainers, everybody of their close air support ‘Hawgsmoke’ is traditionally hosted by who makes the A-10 successful, get (CAS) aircraft and engage in an intense the previous meet’s winning team with together and trade war stories, tactics, round of bombing, missile ring and the caveat that a squadron is forbidden techniques and procedures,’ explained tactical gunnery competitions. The event from holding the competition twice in a Maj Patrick ‘Fodog’ Glen, a pilot from was inspired by the now defunct USAF row. ‘Hawgsmoke 2016’ was grabbed by the 303rd FS and project leader for air-to-ground gunnery meet ‘Gunsmoke’, the 47th Fighter Squadron ‘Dogpatchers’ A home team ‘Hawgsmoke 2018’. the last of which took place in 1995 at for the second time in succession, 303rd FS A-10C Invitations were sent to each A-10 Nellis AFB, Nevada. During 2000, the excluding them as the host unit for lets rip with a unit except those deployed on combat burst of 30mm A-10 community decided to revive the 2018. Normally the next best team on the Cannon operations. Most responded by sending tradition of such a biennial competition, takes the honors, but as this was Osan’s Range. a team of four jets plus support crews, 88 January 2019 // www.combataircraft.net Everything is judged ‘HAWGSMOKE’ 2018 TEAMS Competing for bragging rights is Unit Home base Notes part and parcel of a ghter squadron 47th FS ‘Terrible Termites/Dogpatchers’ Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona community. At ‘Hawgsmoke’, from the 74th FS ‘Flying Tigers’ Moody AFB, Georgia Flew 75th FS aircraft time the rst jet touches down to the 75th FS ‘Tiger Sharks’ Moody AFB, Georgia time the last wheels are in their wells, 76th FS ‘Vanguards’ Moody AFB, Georgia Flew 303rd FS aircraft it’s a competition. ‘[The meet] is unique 104th FS ‘Fighting Orioles’ War eld Air National Guard Base, Maryland to A-10s, so the pro les are similar but it 107th FS ‘Red Devils’ Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan changes every time,’ explains Glen. ‘The 163rd FS ‘Blacksnakes’ Fort Wayne, Indiana host unit’s weapons o cer chooses what 190th FS ‘Skullbangers’ Boise Airport-Gowen Field, Idaho the pro le is going to be, whether it is 303rd FS ‘KC Hawgs’ Whiteman AFB, Missouri high-threat or di erent types of bombing 354th FS ‘Bulldogs’ Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona or shooting, what the targets are, where 357th FS ‘Dragons’ Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona Flew 354th FS aircraft they are, whether system capabilities are 358th FS ‘Lobos’ Whiteman AFB, Missouri intentionally degraded. Every event it changes. Competitors don’t know what although this year three squadrons from veterans of Operation ‘Desert Storm’ the pro le is going to be until the day borrowed jets from other teams. A to a young lieutenant ve months into of competition.’ ight leader from each squadron was his rst posting. Thus, ‘Hawgsmoke 2018’ With decon icted arrival times at responsible for picking the team, and drew 12 teams for some socializing and Whiteman, each ight called in an pilot experience across the board ranged serious competition. expected arrival time and was then scored www.combataircraft.net // January 2019 89 EXERCISE REPORT // ‘HAWGSMOKE 2018’ based on its actual touchdown time. 74th Fighter Squadron ‘Flying Tigers’ proud that we had the opportunity to Two teams arrived within half a second aircraft during the competition and bring this award home.’ of the time-on-target they’d announced won the ‘Top Hawg’ award for the The CAS mission was the epicenter This image: An to Whiteman air traic control when best maintenance team. 476th MXS of the action, so the meat of the A-10 down low they were 20 minutes out. The worst A-10 crew chief TSgt Brandon Hoke competition took place out on the over the Cannon score was a team that was a mere told Combat Aircraft, ‘Everyone had to range. The bombing and gunnery Range during ‘Hawgsmoke’. three seconds of its estimate. Even the perform to the highest of their ability elements were held at Cannon Range. formation of the various lights upon and execute the mission lawlessly. The Established in 1979, Cannon is operated Left inset: their arrival in the pattern and their 476th AMXS has some of the hardest- by the 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri Air The ‘Red Devils’ 100th break to land was judged. working men and women I have ever National Guard. Unlike many live-ire anniversary jet An array of contests in all shapes had the privilege to work with. I am ranges, it is open to the public during wheels above and forms are found throughout regular training and exercises such the range as the pilot tips in for a ‘Hawgsmoke’. The ‘Nasty Hawg’ award as ‘Hawgsmoke’. bomb pass. is awarded to the dirtiest A-10 with the most staining from gun gas emissions, On the range Right top to bottom: The and was won this year by the 127th The opening salvos of the weapons main range Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), competition revolved around the tower at Cannon. accompanying the 107th Fighter tactical employment of the AGM-65 Cannon Range Squadron. TSgt Alex Goulette, a crew Maverick missile. Just prior to take- was open to chief with 127th AMXS and the unit’s of, each team was provided with a the public for logistical team lead commented, ‘It standard nine-line brief of instructions ‘Hawgsmoke’. means the aircraft has stayed airworthy that could be expected from a joint An SA-8 ‘Gecko’ for a long period of time and the award terminal attack controller (JTAC) for surface-to-air- is credited to the maintenance team a CAS engagement. In this instance missile system (left) and for keeping it in such good [lying] it was an enemy convoy, last sighted ZSU-23/4 Shilka condition.’ in a farmer’s ield inside a military self-propelled The 476th AMXS, an Air Force Reserve operations area (MOA) in southern anti-aircraft gun, both of which Command (AFRC) unit located at Missouri. The goal was to locate, target reside at Cannon Moody AFB, Georgia, supported the and ire on the convoy. Simply inding Range. 90 January 2019 // www.combataircraft.net 91 EXERCISE REPORT // ‘HAWGSMOKE 2018’ the target in the densely forested, hilly rather than a crosswind, and teams countryside was a challenge compared elected to approach from di erent to the wide-open desert expanses directions. However, the largest source of the Barry M. Goldwater Range in of error when it comes to bombing is southern Arizona, the stage for the the pilot’s hand-eye co-ordination. The previous two ‘Hawgsmokes’. Because next two passes were the 20° low-angle, the Maverick is a re-and-forget missile, low-drag, with a minimum altitude of the targeting information available at 1,000ft. The nal two runs were for a launch (the contrast between target and 15° low-angle, high-drag, pop-up. A background, temperature and seeker high-drag device (such as a parachute) lock-on) was su cient to determine a events. The rst was a 30° high-angle attached to a weapon allows an aircraft valid shot. This information was stored dive bomb attack using 25lb BDU-33 to prosecute an attack from lower levels and fed to the judging team after the practice rounds. This training round while delaying impact and enabling the pilot simulated ring the weapon. simulates the characteristics of the Mk82 aircraft to escape the ensuing explosion. During scouting missions to locate a unguided, low-drag general-purpose The pilot typically runs in at low level, suitable target location, a particular 500lb bomb and has a spotting charge pops up to acquire the target, and tips farmer’s barn was noticed that bore that releases a cloud of smoke on in for a diving delivery at a minimum Above: an irresistible inscription scrawled on impact. The pilots released the bomb altitude of 300ft. This last event was A ‘Dogpatchers’ its roof. It’s not known whether any of at a minimum altitude of 4,500ft in A-10C dispatches deemed the most challenging. Capt the pilots noticed the signage as they a 30° dive, with two passes allowed. a BDU-33 on a Randall Ott of the 74th FS said, ‘We pressed home their attacks, but kudos Target 5, which was used during target. learned of the events just before our to the organizing team for spotting ‘Hawgsmoke’, is unrestricted for bomb Below: 30mm ight brief. ‘Hawgsmoke’ presented that the farmer had spelled out ‘A-10s events, allowing each team to decide rounds spit from opportunities to get creative with our kick ass’. how best to approach it. Winds and a ‘Skullbangers’ weapons delivery, but the judges did A-10C during The competition then moved to the terrain can drive the approach, the ideal the strafe all they could to throw us curveballs.

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